The Disciple's Transformation: From Failing to Recognize Jesus on the Stormy Water to Serving as Competent Pastoral Presbyteries - Saturday of the Second Week of Paschaltide

 Through today's Scripture Readings (Acts 6:1-7; John 6:1-15), what can we learn as we continue to celebrate the Resurrection of the Lord?

We have read and reflected how the disciples struggled to recognize Jesus upon his Resurrection during the Paschal Octave Gospel Readings. After the Octave, the Gospel Readings reflect how these disciples failed to understand Jesus' reaching and recognize his Christological truth in him the great signs that he performed. Nevertheless, in today's First Reading, we can see how these disciples were transformed into the competent pastoral presbyteries of the nascent Church. 

This truth shall give us hope and encouragement for our transformation, which we continue to work toward Pentecost. 

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From yesterday’s Gospel Reading (John 6:1-15), we read how people reacted to Jesus for the fourth great sign that he performed, feeding the multitude out of five loaves of bread and two fish. This sign prompted them to think of Jesus as the prophet to come (John 6:14), as prophesized in Deuteronomy 18:15-20 or in Malachi 3:1. But, some thought of making Jesus their king, and this bothered him enough to distance himself from them (John 6:15).

Obviously, Jesus did not want to be made king by people.

On the other hand, Jesus was sent to us as the Messianic prophet, as reflected in Isaiah 61:1-11, from which he cited in his public teaching in synagogue in Nazareth (Luke 4:1-21), as well as, the suffering servant prophet (Isaiah 52:13-53:12).

To get away from people who recognized him in wrong ways, like those who tried to make him king for them, Jesus and the disciples made a move to cross the Sea of Tiberius, which is the Roman name of the Sea of Galilee. And today’s  Gospel Reading (John 6:16-21) describes what happened to the disciples in the sea and what Jesus did, while crossing the sea to distance from those who misinterpreted his fourth sign (feeding the multitude by multiplication of a scanty amount of bread and fish).

In today’s Gospel Reading (John 6:16-21), we see the disciples hearts stirred up with fear, when the storm disturbed the sea with gusting wind, as their boat left the shore toward Capernaum. Amidst of their fear of storm, they spotted Jesus walking toward them on the water.  Were they relieved to have seen Jesus walking toward them?

No. They were terrified. They probably could have thought of him as a ghost (cf. Matthew 14:26) or something like that.  It was supernatural that a man would walk on the water. It would be impossible. And, by performing this supernatural act, impossible for ordinary human to do, Jesus performed the fifth miraculous sign.

But, the disciples failed to recognize Jesus as he was in this sign. Their hearts and minds were stirred by fear and terror, blinding them from seeing Jesus and keeping their faith in him.

As we continued to read Johannine Gospel narratives on Jesus’ signs, we are also tested to see if we can recognize Jesus as the Christ through the great miracles that he had performed.

Imagine that you are one of these disciples on the boat in that evening.  The boat was trying to cross the Sea of Tiberius to the other shore, as Jesus told you to meet you there. Then, a nasty storm hit

The First Reading for today (Acts 6:1-7) describes the rapid and steady growth of the nascent Church and how the leaders of the Church made a necessary adjustment to ensure that no body is left out in the Church’s ministries.

The Church could not be run solely by the presbyteries, as she grew in size and member diversity. They had to add deaconates to assist the pastoral leadership of the presbyteries – the original apostles, headed by Peter.

This is similar to how Moses had to have judges to be assisted in his leadership to maintain the order and peace of the community during Exodus (Exodus 18:1-27). It had become way too much for Moses alone to shepherd the Israelites as the exodus journey continued on, even assisted by his brother Aaron.

The Church is a living being – like any organism in nature. Therefore, it shall evolve by adequately adopting changes of the environment and circumstances. It does not mean that the Church has to compromise her principle, purpose, and mission.  Namely, it works like evolution. And, competent leaders of the Church, from Pope to deacons, must work with and through the Holy Spirit to make sure that the Church can adopt any change and ensure that nobody is excluded from her pastoral ministries, which are extensions of the works of Jesus.

Though Peter and the rest of the presbyteries of the newborn Church handled a thorny complaint from Greeks against Hebrews about the Church’s reach-out in care, by making necessary adaptation by establishing deaconates, these men used to fail to recognize Jesus back in their formation time, as reflected in the Gospel narratives, including today’s Gospel Reading.  

When these presbyteries of the nascent Church were disciples, they struggled to get things of their teacher, Jesus, right. However, upon receiving the Holy Spirit, their competence and confidence as leaders to steer the growing Church were made solid and steadfast. It is because of the Holy Spirit. And for them to be benefitted by the Holy Spirit, Jesus had to be glorified through his death on the Cross, resurrection, and ascension. 

Even though we may still struggle with Christological truth of Jesus, we can remain hopeful to be transformed as the apostles, the first presbyteries of the Church, were from the disciples, who often made "mistakes" in getting things about Jesus right - even after his resurrection.